state govt to provide 70% subsidy on installation of solar voltaic panels

Minister for non-conventional energy sources Bikram Singh Majithia on Monday said the Punjab governments aims to fulfil the domestic power requirement by installing solar voltaic panels on the rooftops of houses and to achieve the target the government will extend 70% subsidy on the project.

Minister for non-conventional energy sources Bikram Singh Majithia on Monday said the Punjab governments aims to fulfil the domestic power requirement by installing solar voltaic panels on the rooftops of houses and to achieve the target the government will extend 70% subsidy on the project.

Majithia said Punjab had made big achievements in renewable energy sector due to political will and constant monitoring.

Giving a call to the investors to invest in a big way in Punjab, he said the government would extend all possible help to entrepreneurs.

He said the government had formulated a policy under which it would provide project clearance in a time-bound manner through a single-window mechanism within a period of 60 days after the submission of completed application.

He said all district administrations had been directed to sort out local issues involved in the project clearance promptly.

He said 250 megawatt solar projects had been set up in Punjab in a record time, while 200 megawatt power would be generated from the solar panels installed on the rooftops.

Divulging details about the New and Renewable Sources of Energy (NRSE) Policy 2012, Majithia said along with encouraging production of non-conventional energy, the policy would be a milestone in the development of the state.

He said under the policy, 100% electricity duty for power consumed from state licencee during construction and testing of the project would be waived.

Moreover, to promote usage and generation from NRSE, manufacturing and sale of NRSE devices, systems, equipment and machinery required for power projects would be exempted from the Value Added Tax (VAT) and any cess thereupon. A 100% exemption from payment of fee and stamp duty for registration and lease deed charges for the land required for the project is among various facilities extended under the policy.

He said the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) had implemented many schemes from non-conventional energy sources, under which ‘gobar’ gas plants, solar power systems and solar geysers had been installed in rural areas.

In urban areas due to paucity of space, gobar gas plants are not installed, but solar power systems, solar geysers and solar coolers could be installed, he added.